Lamentation 3:22-23

Verse of the Week: Lamentations 3:22-23 “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

Encouraging Thought: We serve a loving God. And because of His love, He is merciful to all those who trust in Him. Psalm 103:17-18 says, “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.” God’s mercy is everlasting and new every morning. As a result of his mercy, we experience His kindness, His salvation, His forgiveness, and prolonged life.

Words of Wisdom: To receive God’s mercy is to be pardoned for a crime that deserves punishment. Sin is a spiritual crime against God, and “…the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23) If our crimes deserve punishment, then no one deserves God’s mercy. Titus 3:5 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…”

A man who robs a store and kills a clerk, at the very least, deserves jail time, but according to God he deserves death (Exodus 21:12). Yet, despite his crime and pending punishment for it, he could receive a presidential pardon and set free from prison. Does that mean he deserves that pardon? No! He can’t do anything to earn or deserve the mercy he receives. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be mercy, because mercy is to be pardoned for a crime that deserves punishment. And so it is with God’s mercy. We can’t do anything to earn it or deserve it.

“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” To be consumed means to be destroyed. How do we compare to God’s holy and uncompromising standards? Isaiah 64:6 says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…” I cannot stand on my own merit before a holy God any more than a murderer can stand on his good deeds before a righteous judge. At our very best, we fail. Without the mercy of God, we will be destroyed. But God’s compassion will not fail us.

“They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Every day, God’s mercies start brand new because He is faithful. So when you’ve failed God, as you so often do, remember that tomorrow is a new day. God’s mercies are new. And God wants you to trust in His goodness and mercy each and every day.